meet nanos board: dr. valerie biousse

Describe the NANOS Board using 3 words.
Very hard working; efficient; fun

What achievements of NANOS during your Board service are you most proud of?
I am proud of having helped NANOS become more diverse and international and I have often served as liaison between the international community with which I keep a very strong connection and the North American members. I always thought that having an international board member would greatly benefit our organization by challenging us and offering often unexpected ideas. I created the first Fellowship Taskforce which then became a standing committee et this allowed improvement and standardization of many aspects of our fellowships. Before most medical societies started focusing on DEI, I created the a very active DEI taskforce which also became a standing committee.

What makes a good Board member?
Adjectives that come to my mind to describe a good board member are: experienced, educated, open-minded, poised and patient, wise, curious, respectful, polite, generous (of their time), responsive, present, on time, and a good listener.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned about governance matters?
I have learned to slow down and take the time to listen and then think carefully before answering or making suggestions. NANOS is a small organization made of a very heterogenous group of people who share a very unique subspecialty. The answers to questions are not found in books, on the internet or in professional advising agencies. Those who preceded us and created the specialty and this organization have the most answers, and we need to listen to them. Institutional memory is essential to govern NANOS efficiently. We are lucky to have been able to work with the same Executive Office for many years and our current Board structure allows for a mix of experienced “elders” and enthusiastic active younger members.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your board service?
It brings me joy and a very important sense of belonging. It made me care about many things I did not even know existed before I started working with the board. It has made me better overall.

Who inspired you to get involved with NANOS?
The obvious answer is Nancy Newman who was already on the NANOS board when I joined NANOS. I learned enormously from her. But the person who suggested that I join the board and then mentored me for many years (he still does) is Larry Frohman. We met on a dog-pulled snow sled at my first NANOS meeting in Snowmass and developed a strong and successful professional relationship. This is why I am very much in favor of all social activities sponsored by NANOS: without the “sled adventure”, I may never have talked with Larry and may have gone a different route...

What was your busiest day as a NANOS Board member?
My busiest “day” lasted a week and was the NANOS annual meeting during which I would attend and monitor all sessions, as many optional symposia as possible, many social events and as many committee meetings as I could fit and meet as many people as possible. I learned to take vacation immediately after the NANOS meeting in order to recover. Exhausting but exhilarating experience each year!

Where do you see NANOS in 5 years?
I wish NANOS would remain a small friendly and cozy organization where everyone knows all members, because this is what I have always enjoyed. However, this is not the case anymore and we have to adapt to our growing membership and demand. NANOS is already the largest neuro-ophthalmologic organization in the world and will continue to steadily grow and attract more trainees and international members. It is and will remain the main hub for all neuro-ophthalmologists in need of training, updates, advice on best practices and help with advocacy. It will have to be closely connected with all major national and international professional organizations in order to benefit from their resources and reach a large number of ophthalmologists and neurologists. That means that our Executive Office will need to expand, and our Board will need to continue to grow with potential subcommittees made of leaders closely connected to similar organizations. Maintaining sustainable financial support will obviously be the major challenge, hence the need to continue and increase strong collaborations with the industry (not just pharmaceutical, but also with those making devices such as ocular imaging and technology).